Announcing the 22nd Annual James V. Mongiardo Speech Competition

Alice Lloyd’s James V. Mongiardo Speech Competition is set for Tuesday, February 25th, at 1 PM in the Estelle Campbell Center for the Arts. This competition, held annually, is in its 22nd year, and all ALC students are eligible to participate.

Attendance is optional at this convocation, but it is always one of the more exciting events of the semester as student-participants are evaluated on content, style, and delivery. Cash prizes are awarded to the top three contestants.

This year’s theme is “Building a New Future in Appalachia.” Students have been asked to address these important and timely questions: What kind of future do you see for Appalachia? What role can you play in that future? What role can we, as students, faculty, staff, family at ALC, take on in our future here? What needs to happen to bring this large community to a brighter, healthier, wealthier and safer future? There are some recent programs in Kentucky meant to address these questions. These include SOAR – Shaping Our Appalachian Region and the recently named “Promise Zones.” Does your vision of the future use one of these programs? Does your vision of the future use other resources and ideas? (Please note that students do not have to use SOAR or The Promise Zones in their speeches. These are simply programs that exist that might help to shape or inform their speech. Students may use other ideas and/or programs for their speeches.)

For more information about the competition please contact Ms. Megan Burnett, ALC’s Assistant Professor of Speech and Theatre. Ms. Burnett‘s on-campus extension is 6050, and her e-mail address is meganburnett@alc.edu.

Application forms for students interested in competing are available beginning on Tuesday, February 11th, from Ms. Burnett’s office in Cushing Hall.